SHAH ALAM: Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu said today Pakatan Harapan (PH) will have to work harder to win the Rantau state seat in the by-election on April 13 because the constituency is an Umno stronghold.
He also said that PH will have to be cautious as the opposition is trying to make the people perceive PH as being used by the DAP.
Mohamad, who is also the Defence Minister, spoke to reporters after attending the Bicara Minda Bersama Menteri Pertahanan (A Discussion with the Defence Minister) programme organised by the Karangkraf Media Group at Kompleks Karangkraf here.
Replying to a question, Mohamad said Negeri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was not a stumbling block for PH in the by-election.
“We regard all by-elections as difficult, regardless of whether a candidate is strong or otherwise,” he said.
Mohamad Hasan, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman and Umno deputy president, is expected to be renominated to contest the seat in the by-election.
The Rantau by-election has been necessitated by the Federal Court dismissal of an appeal filed by Mohamad Hasan to set aside the Nov 16 Seremban Election Court decision declaring his unopposed victory in the 14th general election (GE14) as null and void.
In GE14, Mohamad Hasan was declared the winner of the seat after his potential PH opponent, Dr S. Streram of PKR, was prohibited from entering the nomination centre to submit his nomination papers because he did not have a pass issued by the Election Commission. — Bernama
